PROVO -- Freshman guard Julie Whetten came off the bench and sparked BYU's offense with a team-high ten points as the Cougars defeated Marquette, 58-44, Tuesday at the Marriott Center. BYU closes out a four game homestand at 3-1, and improves to 7-3 with the win, while the Golden Eagles drop to 4-5 on the year.
Whetten was the only Cougar to score in double digits, leading a balanced offensive effort for BYU. Erin Thorn and Lisa Osguthorpe each chipped in nine points, and Caroline Beus finished with eight points on the night.
Both teams struggled to get things going on offense in the first half. The Golden Eagles shot 46 percent from the field, while the Cougars managed to shoot just 39 percent in the first half. But despite the shooting difficulties, BYU managed to take a three point lead, 28-25, into the locker room at halftime.
"Both teams played good defense tonight," said BYU coach Trent Shippen. "Marquette is a very good defensive team. They're scrappy and they really get after the ball."
The Cougars stretched the lead to seven early in the second half, but Marquette fought back to tie the game at 38-38 midway through the half. The Golden Eagles then took a one point lead with 9:51 to play, as Heidi Bowman converted one of two free throws after the BYU bench was called for a technical foul. Bowman lead all scorers with 11 points for the game.
But the Marquette lead was short-lived, as the Cougars outscored the Golden Eagles 20-5 the rest of the way. A long jumper and a three-pointer by Kaly Shippen put BYU back up by four, and the Cougars continued to open it up from there. Osguthorpe hit a three from the corner, and on the next BYU possession Thorn converted a four-point play when she was fouled on a three-pointer from nearly the same spot.
BYU returns to action December 28, on the road against Idaho State.
Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
MARQUETTE Golden Eagles vs BYU Cougars
12-19-00 7:00 PM at BYU MARRIOTT CENTER PROVO UT
VISITORS: MARQUETTE Golden Eagles 4-5
tot-fg3-ptrebounds
##Playerfgfgafgfgaftftaofdetotpftpatoblksmin
41BOWMAN, Heidif4120534145111130133
44SEFFERN, Kristinf35001204417022024
52ZAWODNY, Sarahc390002651116342127
13JOHNSON, Kristig25130000035020123
31SCHWERMAN, Kellyg03020000020131011
03GALES, Rashida 15010001112230115
11CUFF, Kristin 0201002022000004
12O'GRADY, Katie 0201121010110007
21KLUG, Rachael 36000021326021016
24STIEBER, Becky 02010002220002210
33WILLIAMS, Ebony 02010012310110011
35BOGOTT, Kylee 0000000000000002
40WEAVER, Crystal 34000011206200017
TEAM628
Totals..............19571155102022421644112086200
TOTAL FG%1st Half: 11-24 .4582nd Half: 8-33 .242Game: .333DEADBALL
3-Pt. FG%1st Half: 1-3 .3332nd Half: 0-12 .000Game: .067REBOUNDS
F Throw %1st Half: 2-2 1.0002nd Half: 3-8 .375Game: .5003
HOME TEAM: BYU Cougars 7-3
tot-fg3-ptrebounds
##Playerfgfgafgfgaftftaofdetotpftpatoblksmin
31OSGUTHORPE, Lisaf38122215629130034
50CHEESMAN, Heatherf23110023525210122
44BEUS, Carolinec36002312318111024
11THORN, Ering38241123529430136
22JENSEN, Stacyg07024402234330224
04SHIPPEN, Kaly G. 2312000001511009
14WHETTEN, Julie 472201022010010015
15COX, Jorja 0000000000000002
20LARSON, Brittany 2500001010411008
23ROSE, Chanell 16002412324000026
TEAM426
Totals..............205371311151221331358131414200
TOTAL FG%1st Half: 12-31 .3872nd Half: 8-22 .364Game: .377DEADBALL
3-Pt. FG%1st Half: 3-8 .3752nd Half: 4-5 .800Game: .538REBOUNDS
F Throw %1st Half: 1-2 .5002nd Half: 10-13 .769Game: .7332
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Officials: CLARKE STEVENS, CHUCK GONZALES, MARIANNE KARP
Technical fouls: MARQUETTE Golden Eagles-None. BYU Cougars-BENCH.
Attendance: 281
Score by Periods1st2ndTotal
MARQUETTE Golden Eagles251944
BYU Cougars283058